August 2026 Honoree
Melinda Teiken, RN
My VA Housing Case Manager since 2022 has been an angel for my daughter, who left an abusive military husband in 2019, and me. Lindy had been a surgical nurse for 31 years, and I was very surprised to know she has not received this recognition yet.
She has been an advocate in helping to raise my 16-year-old daughter. She was able to pull for me to get moved into the Veteran’s Village in Eagan by MACV. She was able to talk with MACV about our previous housing, which had mold and chemical exposure.
Due to my osteoarthritis and chronic pain, I am about to have surgery for cervical spine fusion. She has been incredibly knowledgeable in many areas of navigating my life with four children, mostly on my own, and getting trauma therapies lined up for both my daughter and me. My adult son also benefited from Lindy’s help with housing at Veterans Village.
I don’t have enough paper to write down all she has done for us and continues to do in helping us and many fellow veterans.
I call her Nurse DAISY or Nurse Sunshine because she truly is that! She has shined her guiding light on our family like no other. And she listens to me while everyone else could never hear me.
She has been an advocate in helping to raise my 16-year-old daughter. She was able to pull for me to get moved into the Veteran’s Village in Eagan by MACV. She was able to talk with MACV about our previous housing, which had mold and chemical exposure.
Due to my osteoarthritis and chronic pain, I am about to have surgery for cervical spine fusion. She has been incredibly knowledgeable in many areas of navigating my life with four children, mostly on my own, and getting trauma therapies lined up for both my daughter and me. My adult son also benefited from Lindy’s help with housing at Veterans Village.
I don’t have enough paper to write down all she has done for us and continues to do in helping us and many fellow veterans.
I call her Nurse DAISY or Nurse Sunshine because she truly is that! She has shined her guiding light on our family like no other. And she listens to me while everyone else could never hear me.
Thank you, Melinda, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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